Be My Hero (Forbidden Men #3)(38)

"But what about Pic—" I started before Reese held up her hand.

"We're only a block from the club. I'll just drop you off at the front door, head to the drug store, pop over to Dawn and Sarah's, and then come back to pick you up on my way home."

She'd have to do a lot of driving out of her way to come back for me, but I knew she always felt a sense of urgency whenever Mason's mom needed something from her. So I kept silent.

"Okay." Tucking Pick's shirt into my purse, I bobbed my head as she slowed to a stop at the curb.

"And remember." Reese sent me a wink and a grin. "It's totally okay if you want to rip all those clothes off that tattooed piece of man candy and just . . . lick him. You're pregnant. Your hormones are all out of control. It's not your fault."

I rolled my eyes, my pregnant hormones stirring at the visual my best friend had just painted in my head. "Thanks so much for your permission." Opening the door, I added, "But listening to my hormones is kind of how I got into this situation in the first place. So, I think I'll pass."

"But Mason actually likes this guy. He says Pick is his favorite coworker . . . not only because he's a hell of a worker, but because of the way he treats women. I guess the man knows how to make each and every one of them feel special."

Staring at her, I tried to ignore the disappointment that bit me in the ass. So he treated all women well, huh? I knew that was supposed to be a good thing. I mean, it was a good thing. But it also meant he hadn't singled me out. I hadn't been special at all, just another nameless, faceless female he felt the urge to pamper.

Shaking my head, I told myself it didn't matter. I was staying away from all men, anyway. Focusing on nothing but babies over here.

But inside, it still hurt. I'd probably meant nothing at all to a guy I hadn't been able to stop thinking about for two weeks straight.

With a shake of my head, I shook off my disappointment and blew Reese a kiss. "Bye, sweetie. Give Sarah this kiss for me, 'kay?"

"Okay."

As Reese pulled away, I turned and looked up at the bright neon lights of the Forbidden Nightclub. They had ten more minutes until opening, so I hurried forward and knocked on the glass of the front door until the guy who's name I'd never learned appeared on the other side, peering out at me.

I pulled Mason's shirt out of my purse and waved it like some kind of peace offering until he unlocked the door and opened it.

"Hi," I said, sending him an uncertain smile. "You're Gamble, right?"

"Quinn," he corrected.

Score. Got his name. "Quinn," I repeated. "Right. Hey, I don't know if you remember me. I'm Mason's cousin, Eva." I would be soon, that was. "I'm here to deliver a shirt."

"For Pick?" he asked, opening the door wide for me.

"Yep." I stepped inside, holding my breath for that first moment I'd get to see him again. "For Pick."

But I didn't spot Pick anywhere. Aside from Quinn, only Mason and Ten filled the large, quiet club. I started for Mason, who was doing something behind the bar with his back to me.

"One black T-shirt," I announced, making him jump and whirl around. "Freshly cleaned and folded."

When I lifted it, he scowled at the article of clothing before glancing behind me. "Where's Reese?"

"Change of plans." I seated myself at the bar and spotted a bowl of beer nuts. I tapped my fingers along the countertop for a few seconds, trying to resist temptation, before I just couldn't handle it any longer, and I reached out. "Your mom called." My next words were muffled as I chewed. "Ree Ree had to do a pharmacy store run for Sarah. So she dropped me off and will be back once all that's out of the way."

Worry leapt onto his face. "What's wrong with Sarah?"

I shrugged. "Fever. Or something. I'm not sure."

Completely dismissing me, he yanked up his cell phone and started dialing. As he was busy calling Reese, Ten plopped onto the stool beside me.

Hitching his chin my way, he wiggled his eyebrows. "So, you going to breastfeed that kid once it pops out?"

When his gaze fell to my swollen, milk-filled boobs, I sighed. I'd dealt with this exact kind of immature moron way too much in my life. Shifting closer to him, I gave him a flirty smile. "Why, yes. Yes, I am." Touching his arm, I fluttered my lashes. "Hey, do you think you could watch me do it sometime, tell me if it looks right, because . . . " I lifted my fingers to bite one fingernail. "I'm just so new at it, I don't know how to make anyone suck on my tits."

He nodded, dumbly, his mouth falling open. "Hell, yeah, I could watch. You serious, honey?"

"God, no, I'm not serious, you loser." Shoving him hard in the arm, I pushed him off the bar stool he was sitting on. "Get a life and stop hitting on pregnant women. Gah!"

After tripping over his own legs, he landed on his ass, hard. With a mouthful of muttered curses, he scrambled upright and dusted floor grime off the back of his jeans as he scowled. "Jesus, I was just asking. All you had to do was say no."

"No," I said, eyeing him with some serious warning.

He lifted his hands and backed away. "Fine. Whatever. Your loss, milk tits."

When he turned away, Pick finally appeared, striding out of the back hall and running a harassed hand through his damp hair as if something had upset him. A sizzling wave of energy passed through me. I popped off the bar stool so fast I made myself dizzy.